Lost in Translation
by Moiranne Rose
Summary: Challenge Fic 33/51: Time brings many changes, as Tseng realises after stepping into Wutai after 6 years. Maybe a new recruit, however irritating, might just be the key to warming the initial unfamiliarity. Introductions are called for.


**Challenge Prompt: "Guten tag, Bonjour, Allo, Hello!" **

**Title: Lost in Translation**

**Challenge Fic 33/51: Time brings many changes, welcomed or not, Tseng realises after stepping into Wutai after 6 years. Maybe a new recruit, however irritating, might just be the key to warming the initial unfamiliarity. A Reno and Tseng origin fic of sorts.**

**A Note: This was just something I thought of as I studied for my French Examinations next week. Anyway, I feel lost in translation most of the time. Chinese, English and French makes everything very complicated. And the challenges that are left are very tough to do, but I love the work I have to put in so it fits in.**

* * *

Touching down on his homeland's soil should have signaled the start of sentimentality. But whether it was unfamiliarity, hostility or ShinRa's sheer power of training and oppression of feelings, he merely felt the bump and took off his headphones. Nothing but the procedure of all helicopter rides. It was as if they had touched down on any other place, Modeoheim, Nibelheim, Gongaga. Wutai felt no different, but just a bit colder.

The mission was simple. Guard the President in his rounds of the recently ShinRa-occupied Wutai. No complications, just normal bodyguard duties. The new kid that was with him proved somewhat difficult to suppress and manage, but the kid had some kind of fueled passion for his job, unlike the indifferent obedience he himself displayed. But he wasn't so sure if he liked that kind of change.

As he walked into the town, half-expecting the same sleepiness that had caused him to leave. He was greeted by garishly bright lights and loud music blasting and clashing every 100 metres for rights to burst the next person's eardrums. His mako-enhanced body simply raised an eyebrow ever so slightly, hardly perturbed, though he was struggling to match the pictures and memories with this new-and-improved Wutai. It was somewhat disturbing not to recognize it.

The signboards that used to display things about restaurants and products now held messages about internet messaging rates and jackpot machines. The language the passers-by spoke was with a harsh twang, with strange old-new words. They dropped syllables here and there, slurred the words, it was like the old language of Wutainese had been completely revamped by the new generation.

This whole new Wutai was so unbelievably _alien_. What had happened?

There was someone calling somewhere at his right. Turning, he saw that same new Turk. The President would start his rounds soon, and his best Turk would be there, like it or not.

It was later in the night, in the quarters assigned to them, that he got the next chance to contemplate the changing skyline of Wutai. Last time, 6 years ago, there were mostly low-lying markets and residential areas. Now, it was like the buildings were competing for height and grandeur. The simple, boring life he had left, had become so complicated and so much like the life he knew in ShinRa.

He did know that he was supposed to be happy that the influence of the imposing Electrical Company was working on the constantly rebeling state of Wutai. But to see his hometown turn into such a weird place seemingly overnight (though it had been years), it made him feel slightly sick.

The door, which had no lock (much to his distaste), opened and a second person joined him on the balcony. He turned to see the recently-initiated Turk operative, flicking a lighter and sucking the flame onto the end of the cigarette. President ShinRa disapproved of smoking in his presence (and everywhere around him too) so this being the only balcony accessible, that at least gave the subordinate reason to come.

A plume of gray smoke was exhaled and a sigh of exhilaration.

"Nice peaceful place, isn't it?" The cocky voice was somewhat calming amid the shrill horns, and the sarcasm was welcomed.

"It is...not how I remembered it to be." He could only say that, because that was the truth.

"Like ya can't understand a word everyone's saying, huh?" The 20-year-old leaned against the railing and inhaled another mouthful of toxic gas.

"Yes. Everything has changed."

"Moved on without ya?"

"Well, it has been 6 years. But I never expected Wutai to be so fast in developing."

"Same as Sector 5."

"The slums? What about the place?" He had just finished doling out missions to SOLDIER executives to purge the place of a new breed of worm infestation.

"I came from there. Had the training camp that wasted 2 years of my life. And when I got back to take my stuff before leaving my old place for good, after I'd gotten this post, I found everything had changed."

"The buildings?"

"All taller."

"The streets?"

"More packed with more cars."

"The people?" He was conscious of his nosiness, but didn't really care for the moment. It was after hours anyway.

The male turned round and met his eye.

"If ya asking if they're kinder, I guess they ain't. If ya mean that they talk different, they do. And all me old buddies, neighbours, they were all gone, or didn't remember me. It was like, like I was talking some different _language_ or something."

"Like you were lost in translation?"

Comprehension and understanding flowed between the two for a split second. The question demanded no answer, and simply hung in the air. And then a final suck on the stub of the cigarette before it was crushed under the foot and the recruit turned to go back inside.

"What's your name?" The question came out almost before he thought of it.

The redhead turned round before he left the balcony and grinned lopsidedly,

"Reno."

**A/N: This was the best I could do for the prompt. Hope it came out okay! And I have to get to sleep soon.**

**Moiranne Rose (still not begging)**


End file.
